Bonds
by OhMyViolet
Summary: The moments where Dwight bonds with his teammates.
1. Chapter 1- Nea

Nea didn't really know much about Dwight. All she knew was, he was some guy who used to deliver pizzas and now for some reason, was elected as the group's leader. He was elected before she got here, of course. She never would have voted for such a pussy. Dwight did come up with some good plans and kept note of the killers powers and weaknesses but, despite this, he had been sacrificed in almost every trial. Even when the exit gates were open, he'd still find a way to mess up and get caught. He was sacrificed more times than David. And David was a moron. Dwight seemed like a smart guy but, he really did make some dumb mistakes which ended up with him hanging on a hook.

Nea looked around as the fog cleared and instantly recognised the sound of crows and the rotting wooden walkways. The swamp. Great. She made her way to the nearest generator, crouching and keeping an eye out for whoever was hunting her this time. When she reached the generator, she froze, watching as the reeds began to rustle with movement. The tension in her shoulders loosened slightly, when Dwight emerged. He gave her quick nod and began working on the generator. She soon joined him and the pair worked in silence. Nea's eyes flicked towards the bespectacled man and she began to wonder why, in all her time here, they never really spoke. She shook her head, as if trying to forcefully remove the thought from her mind, and got back to work.

The trial went by in a whirlwind of unhooking and avoiding the hag's traps. Something Dwight didn't do very well. He was currently on a hook, while Nea, Ace and Jake powered through the last generator. "You two finish up here, I'll go get Dwight", Jake whispered, moving away from the generator before anyone could protest. Nea scoffed, "He can risk his ass all he wants. We all know the dork's gonna end up back there anyway". Ace simply shook his head, as the generator powered on, and the signal for the exit gates blared through the swamp. Nea and Ace began the trek to one of the gates when they heard Jake's scream in the distance. Ace sighed and beckoned towards the gates. "Go on, looks like our boys are havin' a bit a trouble". Nea simply rolled her eyes, at their heroic efforts. "Idiots", she mumbled to herself, pulling the handle for the door.

Dwight watched in horror as the hag chased Jake around, while simultaneously struggling to keep the Entity's claws away from him. Jake howled in pain as the killer finally landed a successful swipe. He held his side as he began to run farther away from the hook, leaving Dwight to lose all hope of survival. He shut his eyes and waited for the end. But it didn't come. Instead, he felt himself being roughly pull off the hook, and arms wrapping around him. He opened his eyes to see Ace, winking at him, "come on kid, our luck hasn't run out yet". He placed Dwight's arm around his neck and half dragged, half carried the injured man towards the exit gate.

Nea stood in the gate, leaning against one of the pillars, humming absentmindedly to herself. She whipped her head around at the sound of Jake's voice; "We gotta move". He sprinted towards the gate, soon followed by Ace and Dwight. The four moved towards the exit, when they heard a loud pop from under Nea's foot. "Oh for fu-", her exclaim was cut short by the hag emerging from the ground and wrapping her claw around her neck. Nea watched Jake pass through the threshold, as she struggled for breath. She was thrown to ground, the hag quickly climbing on top of her. Time seemed to slow down. She prepared herself for impact, when she suddenly heard a yell and the hag was dragged off her. She watched, wide eyed as Dwight's throat was ripped open by the killer. His screams ringing in her ears, as Ace pulled her across the barrier.

Nea paced the campsite, her mind racing. " _What just happened? Did he do that on purpose? She should have died back there"._ Claudette's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "Nea please, let me check you for injuries". Nea slumped down on the ground, next to Jake. She watched as Claudette covered his wound in bandages. Anger slowly began to bubble inside her. "Why did you leave?" she hissed, "We could have all made it out if you'd fucking stayed". Jake didn't answer her. "You hear me, pussy?", her voice began to rise. "Oh fuck off Nea, since when do you care what happens to anyone? You think I didn't hear what you said at the generator? You don't give a shit about him, or any of us". Claudette looked nervously, towards Bill, while the pair seethed at each other. Taking the hint, Bill laid a hand on Nea's shoulder, "Let's take a walk, kiddo". "No, fuck you...fuck all of you. I don't need a babysitter". Nea stalked off to the other side of camp. " _Why wasn't he back yet? Was this finally the thing that would kill him for real? If she'd been faster, more careful maybe…"._ The crunching of leaves, pulled her from her panicked thoughts. Looking up, she watched Dwight stroll back towards the campfire, looking bewildered and bloody but alive, with his throat intact. Dwight made a point to not make eye contact with her, and plopped himself down on a log.

Nea couldn't sleep that night. She rubbed her eyes, and sat up, scanning the camp. Most of the group were sleeping or quietly chatting. She stood up and awkwardly made her way to the tree Dwight was propped up against. He raised an eyebrow when she sat next to him, shifting himself away slightly, obviously uncomfortable. An awkward silence fell over them. Nea watched, as Dwight began to fiddle with the strings on his PizzaWhat! hoodie. She cleared her throat to speak,"Why?", was all she managed to get out. Dwight flicked his eyes towards her, "Why what?" "Why did you let that swamp bitch give you the world's worst hickey?". Dwight snorted, "I dunno. I was injured, you weren't. I probably wouldn't have gotten out anyway". "That's bullshit and you know it". Dwight curtly nodded, and began to pick at the leaves on the ground.

After another awkward silence, that seemed to last forever, Nea stood up. She had an idea. She moved towards Claudette, who was sound asleep, and took one of her medkits. She hurried back to Dwight, who had started to doze off, in the few minutes she was gone. She bashfully began to slowly unzip his hoodie, not wanting to disturb him. Dwight jolted awake, wrapping his arms around himself protectively, as if he had just been assaulted. "What are you doing?!", he yelped. "Healing your wounds", Nea replied, slightly offended at his reaction. "I don't need to be healed", Dwight mumbled, pulling his zip back up. "I find it hard to believe hag lady didn't fuck you up a little, Fairfield". "I said, I don't need to be healed". "And I said I find it hard to believe-", she was cut off by Dwight suddenly moving to get away from her. "Hey! Get back here!", she reached to pull on his sleeve. "Seriously Nea, I'm really not in the mood for this". Nea let go of his sleeve, hanging her head. "Look Dwight, I'm not...good at this shit but I...what you did in the trial...I just...wanted to say...thanks". "You're welcome", Dwight said, coldly, continuing to walk away. "What the hell is your problem?!" Nea yelled, grabbing his shoulder, in an attempt to make him face her. Dwight let out a cry, "S-stop". He carefully removed himself from her grasp. "So you are hurt". Nea pointed towards the medkit. "Come here". Dwight let out an exasperated sigh, but obliged.

He slumped down onto a log, Nea hopping over it to get behind him. She could already see a dark bruise on the back of his neck that crept down under his red t-shirt. She began to search through the medkit for anything she might need. When she turned back to Dwight, he was staring off in the distance, absentmindedly chewing his nails, as he often did. "You know how gross that is, right?" "Hmmm?" "You. You're always biting your nails. You're probably eating dirt, and shit. It's pretty nasty". Dwight just shrugged, wiping his hand on his jeans. "I'm sure you've eaten worse", he said with a coy smile, tilting his head towards Meg, who was sleeping near the campfire. Nea was taken aback by this comment, before shoving Dwight playfully, a wicked grin spreading over her face. "Touché". She was starting to like this guy.

"You're gonna need to take this off", she said, tugging at the hood on his hoodie. "Yeah...I guess so", Dwight slowly removed the navy fabric from himself. Nea cocked an eyebrow, at the gashes, cuts and bruises crawling down his arms. "You should probably take your shirt off, too". Dwight sighed, "Fine...but don't...just don't say anything". Nea snorted at his self-consciousness, "Come on Fairfield, we all know you're no body build-". Her mouth hung open in shock, as her eyes sprawled over his body. His back was covered in gashes, some old, some crusting over with infection, and some painfully new. His stomach was bruised. His sides had deep claw marks and his chest and neck were stained with blood, assumably from the mori he'd endured earlier that day. "Jesus Dwight, you're a mess". "Thanks", he said sarcastically, hanging his clothes over the log. "What the fuck happened to you?" Nea was in shock. She'd never seen anyone injured this bad before. "Um…the trials?" Dwight was being too nonchalant about this for her liking. "You know what I mean. No one else is this messed up. Why did you not go to Claudette?" "Because it's not a big deal, Nea. Other people need those medical supplies more than me". Nea shook her head, "Just sit still, let me deal with this".

Nea worked away, cleaning and disinfecting the wounds, which emitted the odd yelp or whimper from Dwight. "Seriously dude, you should have put bandages or something on some of these". "I did. Where do you think my work shirt went", Dwight nervously chuckled. "Wait seriously?" Dwight just shook his head and looked at the ground. After a long pause, Nea pushed the subject again, "Be real with me here for the second. How are you this messed up?" "I'm shit in the trials, remember?". "I wouldn't call what you did for me back there, "shit"". Nea's eyes trailed over the collection of wounds again, tracing the larger ones with her fingers. A knot began to form in her stomach, when she started to figure it out. "You do that a lot, don't you? Take the hit for others? Do you fuck up on purpose to take the attention off everyone else?" Her eyes grew wider as guilt washed over her. She doubted him all this time. "I...I guess so", he replied, softly.

Nea moved to sit on the log next to the man, and really took a moment to look at him. He looked tired. Drained. "Shit, maybe you're not a giant pussy after all". Dwight cracked a genuine smile. "Thanks….I guess". "Don't mention it. I should get this stuff back before Claudette wakes up. Try get some sleep". Dwight started to pull his clothes back on, "I'm not sure I'll be able to. You've really creeped me out with how nice you're being". Nea stuck her tongue out, "Fuck you, Fairfield". Dwight watched her start to walk away. "Hey Nea...Thanks". He received a quick shrug and a nod in return, before rolling over to fall asleep.


	2. Chapter 2- Meg

The entity was unpredictable, to say the least. Sometimes, when it decided it wanted to give the survivors a well needed break, chests would appear in the woods after a trial containing different treats. Sometimes it was new clothes, blankets or even candy. This time, it was alcohol, much to the delight of Ace, who actually teared up a little. Dwight assumed these random acts of kindness were to ensure the survivors kept hope, which allowed the entity to feed. He knew it was twisted but, he was not going to complain. It was nice seeing everyone happy, amongst the chaos. Even if it was just for a couple of hours.

Dwight twisted his beer bottle between his hands. He never was much of a drinker back home and now the alcohol had a more bitter taste, since it was the reason he ended up in this hell hole in the first place. He could not help but smile warmly when Meg approached him, and merrily wrapped her arms around his neck. He figured she was not much a drinker either, considering how much of a lightweight she was.

"Are you OK?", he looked at her fondly, placing his beer down so he could better support her weight as she draped around him. Meg giggled into his shoulder. "I'm fine...I'm having fun. Let's take a walk though. It's been a while since we catched up". Meg linked her arm though this, pulling him towards the woods. "If you think you're able", he said, adjusting their arms so he could take most of the weight. Just in case.

Meg inhaled deeply, as they strolled through the woods, as if she had never smelled the trees before. Dwight enjoyed the comfortable silence that fell between them. Meg was caring but fiesty and only really spoke when she needed to, which he liked. She often rambled to the others because she said the silence made her nervous. She only seemed to be able to take a moment when she was with Nea, Claudette or himself. He appreciated the fact that she trusted him, so deeply.

They stopped when they reached a large rock, and perched on top of it, allowing their legs to dangle freely. Meg leaned back into Dwight's shoulder, and sighed happily. They did not get moments like this anymore. "Do you ever miss when it was just us?", she said, nudging him a little to make sure she had his attention. Dwight considered her question. "I miss having time to talk to you guys. I feel like we're split up so much of the time now. And when we're not in trials we're all so busy. I'm bogged down trying to work out all these new killers. Claudette can barely keep on top of healing everybody…". Meg giggled, interrupting him. "Jake's busy brooding in the trees". Dwight chuckled. "That's not _all_ he does. And at least when there's more of us, we don't have to do every trial". "That's true". "And you have Nea now", he turned his head just in time to see the flush spread across her cheeks. "OK, OK. I get it. We're a big happy family now", she said sarcastically, despite the grin on her face.

A silence fell over them again. Dwight spoke up after a few minutes. "How's that going by the way?" "How's what going?" "The whole...you and Nea thing". Meg's face turned crimson. "Uh...yeah...it's going...it's going really good". Dwight looked fondly at her. They talked previously about how she struggled with her sexuality back home, and was always afraid of what her family and friends might think. "That's good. It's about time we had some good news around here". Meg beamed at him, face still flushed. "Yeah...I really like her. It doesn't mean I don't wanna hang out with the rest of the group too, y'know?" "Yeah I get it. I guess in a way, I kinda do miss the days when it was just us".

Meg suddenly burst out laughing. "What's gotten into you?", he shoved her playfully with his shoulder. "Remember the time, in one of the first trials Jake thought the totem was a dead person and he screamed bloody murder?", Meg said, tears streaming down her face. "I almost peed my pants". Dwight shook his head at her, "Oh yeah? What about the time you yelled " _I'm fast as fuck boy_ ", at the Trapper and then fell in the mud?" "Hey that wasn't funny!" Meg began giggling again. "What about the time you blinded Bill with a flashlight because you thought he was the Shape?" "They're both equally as terrifying", Dwight chuckled. Meg was now hysterically laughing, gasping for breath, "The time...you...and David got stuck in the locker...because you were…".

Dwight cut her off by shoving her off the rock, playfully. She lay back on the ground, tears still streaming. Dwight smiled, amused as he attempted to scrape the redhead off the ground. "We should head back to the campfire. I think we've had enough reminiscing for one night".


	3. Chapter 3-Ace

"Didn't your mamma tell you not to be a slouch?"

Dwight pulled his eyes away from the campfire as Ace sat next to him. "I don't think my posture was high on the list of my mother's concerns", he sighed. He turned back to the campfire, chin resting on his fists, propped up by his elbows on his knees. Ace tutted, playfully. "A good stance and posture, reflect a proper state of mind". "Maybe that's why mine is so terrible", Dwight laughed, wryly.

"Let me help you with that, my friend". "Please don't…Oh my…Ow what are you doing?!" Dwight jerked away as he felt Ace's index and middle finger, press deeply, between his shoulder blades. "Relax. Come 'ere, try squeeze my fingers between your shoulders". "Why?" "Imaging you're trying to keep something there will help you sit straight".

Dwight eyed Ace, suspiciously, as the grey-haired man placed his fingers between his shoulder blades again. More gently this time. "Now bring your shoulders back…that's it". Ace smiled proudly and retracted his fingers, leaving Dwight sitting straight and upright. "You look great", he gripped the younger man's shoulder, affectionately. "You're tense as all hell but…you look great". Dwight snorted at the comment. "Yeah, I haven't exactly had time to call my masseuse".

A silence fell over them. Dwight fought the urge to let his shoulders slump forward again, eventually losing the battle. "I'm sorry, I can't keep sitting like this. My back is killing me". "I, uh…might be able to help you out there, too", Ace spoke up. Dwight cocked an eyebrow at him. "I just…let's just say I got in trouble once. Got some money together and spent some time in Thailand. Picked up a couple of relaxation techniques, from this nice girl, while I was there".

Dwight's mind raced, his face flushing. "Wh-what…techniques?". Ace studied the man's face intently, until he realised the miscommunication. "Oh…no no…I'm talking about massage". Dwight breathed a sigh of relief, before his shoulders hitched again. Was he serious about this?

"Not in a weird way", Ace continued. "I mean…'tis a great skill to impress the ladies. Which isn't what's happening here. I just…uh…". Dwight never saw Ace get flustered like this before. An awkward tension hung in the air while the man searched for the right words. "I just…wanted to do something nice for our dear leader", he nudged Dwight, playfully. "Please don't say that. You make me sound like a dictator". "Oh, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you". "Wait wha-". "I'm kidding, I'm joking", he nudged Dwight again. Dwight hung his head. He could never keep up with Ace's wit. "So, we doin' this or not?"

A few minutes later, Dwight sat cross legged on the ground. Ace sat on a log behind him, hands resting firmly on the leader's shoulders. He gently began to move Dwight's stiffened shoulders, between his hands. "I'm gonna need you to relax if we're gonna do this", he sighed, noticing the younger man's tautness. "Sorry, I just feel like everyone's looking", came the whispered reply. Ace scanned his eyes around the campsite. Almost everyone else was either napping or on a trial. There was no one watching. _"How can someone be this anxious, all the time?"_ he thought to himself, before turning his attention back to Dwight. "Just imagine I'm a beautiful woman", he chuckled. "You're not helping". "Well at least close your eyes". Dwight audibly sighed but, obeyed.

Ace moved his fingers, in circular motions along Dwight's shoulders and neck, searching for any muscles that were unnecessarily tight. Which in Dwight's case, was most of them. He did not know why but, Ace found this incredibly therapeutic. He focused all his attention to rubbing his thumbs along the base of Dwight's neck, applying pressure wherever it was needed. Ace felt a knot of guilt form in his stomach. He always treated the trials as a game. Just another chance to test his luck. He never stopped to think that, some of the others carried the weight of a trial back to the campfire. Ace's fingers found a particularly tense spot, at the base of the leader's left shoulder. He shook his head, _"No surprise he always looks so tired"._ A whimper and a quiet "Ow", pulled him from his thoughts. "Ah shit, sorry…I'll go easier". Ace often forgot how fragile Dwight actually was, considering he took on a lot of the heavier burdens of the group. He gently worked his way around the rest of his back and shoulders, watching for any more negative reactions.

Ace began to finish up the massage. "I think we're just about done here…How'd you feel?". He waited for some sort of response but, it never came. He shifted his sitting position, to get a better look at the young man. Noticing he was now fast asleep, Ace gently moved his legs from behind the sleeping man. He began to get up, taking a moment to admire his handiwork. He smiled proudly to himself; "Visconti, you're one helluva miracle worker".


	4. Chapter 4- Claudette

Claudette was always the mother figure of the group. Despite being a lot younger than some members, her caring and selfless attitude automatically upgraded her to the role. And she fitted it perfectly. She was always there, during or after trials to help the wounded, to be a shoulder to cry on, or to generally lift everyone's' spirits. The group often acknowledged that they would be lost without Claudette to care for them. Which begs the question, who cares for the carer?

Claudette sniffled as she almost stubbled back towards the campfire. She did not feel good. The group discovered, not too long ago, that yes, it is possible to get sick in the Entity's realm. No one could forget the time David came down with the flu. A time, Nea, appropriately dubbed "The Dave-ocalypse". Claudette was not about to let a course of the sniffles get the best of her. She had people who needed her.

She sniffled and coughed her way through healing Meg and separating an argument between Jake and David, about who did the most generators. She sent the two men, sulking into the trees before finally taking a moment to sit down next to the campfire. She shivered, even as the campfire's warmth surrounded her. Her eyes began to droop, before a gentle "Hey", pulled her from the clutches of sleep.

Claudette smiled weakly, as Dwight took a seat next to her. "How was the trial?", he asked, simultaneously tossing some small twigs into the flames. Claudette sniffled again. "It was fine…We got the Wraith. We all got out okay, but…David and Jake had an argument when we got back". Dwight sighed and shook his head. "I wish they'd stop doing that. Kate said they keep waking her up with the yelling. It's not fair". Claudette simply nodded in agreement. "Maybe you should talk to them. They might listen if it comes from you". Dwight bit his lip nervously, before turning to her with a smile. Suddenly desperate to change the subject.

"How are you doing? You look…". Dwight took a moment to look over his friend before continuing. She looked a little paler than normal. Her eyes were puffy and watery, and she was visibly shaking. He watched as she raised an eyebrow at him, before continuing, "Uh…r-really good". Claudette rolled her eyes, "I'm fine". As if on cue, another shiver racked her body. She rubbed her arms aggressively to try and get the heat back. "You're cold?", Dwight questioned, looking from her back to the fire. "Just a little. I think, actually, maybe I have a bit of a cold".

"I knew something was wrong", Dwight said, beginning to pull his hoodie off. "Here, take this". "Oh, you don't have to do that", Claudette protested as she was swaddled in the soft fabric. It was warm, and if she was honest, smelled pretty good. "Thank you". "Would you like some tea?", he offered. Claudette sighed, rubbing her temple. "I would but, to be honest, I just can't be bothered to make it". "I'll do it". "Do you know how?". Claudette watched as Dwight was now headed towards the trees, obviously not hearing her question.

Dwight returned a short while later with some water and various plants. "I took some of these from your supplies. I hope that's ok". Claudette smiled and nodded. At least she knew he would be using the right plants. "Where did you learn how to make tea?". Dwight smiled bashfully at her. "I watched you make it the time David was sick. I wanted to know how to help so I tried really hard to memorise the recipe you used". Claudette eyed him, fondly. "Oh Dwight, if you wanted to learn about plants, why didn't you just ask me?" He looked away, embarrassed, "I…I didn't want you to think I was dumb". "I would never think that". "I…I know".

Dwight busied himself with boiling the water and mixing the ingredients together, under the watchful eye of Claudette, who wanted to make sure he did not poison her. She tugged the hoodie closer around her shoulders, still shivering. Noticing this, Dwight subtly poked at the fire, to try keep it as lively as possible. A comfortable silence fell over them. Claudette's eyes grew heavier as she listened to the gentle bubble of the water, as it reached boiling point. Dwight carefully mixed everything together, as best he could, with a lack of proper cooking utensils. Anything they had, they had stolen from the hospital, the asylum or the gas station. Lucky for them, Ace managed to swipe some beakers from the hospital during a trial.

Dwight slowly poured the hot liquid into one of the beakers. "You don't want any?", Claudette questioned, when she noticed the single serving. Dwight just shook his head, before offering her the beverage. "Be careful, it's really hot". Claudette moved her hands inside of the hoodie's cuffs, in an attempt to use the fabric as a barrier between her skin and the hot glass, before graciously taking a small sip. "Mmmm". "Good?" "Delicious. Thank you".

Dwight eyed the remaining tea, wistfully. "I wish we had honey out here", he sighed. "You like honey in your tea?", Claudette perked up at the chance to learn some new information about her friend. "Yeah…When I was a kid I used to have a crazy sweet tooth. My grandma used to sweeten my drinks with honey, so I wouldn't eat so much sugar. She said I didn't need it because, I was sweet enough without it", he laughed, but Claudette noticed the sadness behind it. She nudged him with her foot, "She was right about that". She happily took another sip of tea, while a subtle blush began to creep over the Leader's cheeks.

"Thank you, Dwight. Really".


	5. Chapter 5- Kate

Dwight pulled his gaze away from the flashlight he was fixing up, at the sound of laughter coming from the trees. David and Jake appeared to be the source as they ran into the camp, and quickly sat down on one of the logs, still laughing. Dwight was about to question what was happening, when Kate suddenly stormed towards them. "Alright which a y'all took my bra? A girl can't even take a swim no more. Who was it?". Her eyes darted to David and Jake, who pointed to Dwight, both trying and failing to hide the smirks on their faces. Kate rolled her eyes at their display. They wanted to play a game? Fine.

She turned to Dwight arms folded. "I-it wasn't me. I've been here the w-whole t-time". "Liar", David shouted over. "Oi, our boy 'eres some kinda perv, love". Kate stepped towards Dwight, taking his hand in hers, speaking loud enough so the other men could hear; "Dwight, hun, if you wanted a better look at my underwear, all you had to do was ask". David and Jake exchanged surprised looks, while Dwight's face was painted in confusion. Kate flipped her hair and batted her eyelashes to add to her charade, "Oh, how I can't resist a man who just…takes what he wants". She tugged on his hand, leading him towards the trees. "Come".

Dwight stumbled over his feet, as Kate lead him away from the campfire. "W-what are you doing?". Kate let go of his hand, when she decided they were a safe distance away. "Just fixin' to beat those two at their own game. I've got somewhere we can go. I'd like to draw this out".

Kate lead Dwight to the end of a narrow river. He had heard about this spot from Jake, who tried to follow the water, but it never seemed to end. Kate sat down near the river's edge, patting the ground to encourage Dwight to do the same. "Don't ya ever get tired of those boys messing with ya?", she asked as he sat down. "Don't you?", he retaliated. Kate sighed, "I swear, those boys. One minute they're at each other's throats, the next they're runnin' 'round like a pair of school kids". Dwight gazed around at the scenery. It would be a beautiful place if it was not surrounded by death and suffering. He dipped a finger into the water, watching the ripples it made.

"You wanna to go for a dip?", Kate asked. "I come here a lot. Water's real nice". Dwight pulled his hand from the water, wiping it on his slacks. "I didn't exactly bring my swim suit". "Neither did I. Lucky for us, we got the next best thing". "Yeah, I guess we could swim in our underwear". Kate smirked at his cluelessness. She sighed dramatically, "Oh Lord, I just forgot I'm damn well missing some of mine. Whatever will I do?". "Oh, y-yeah. S-sorry I forgot". "Good thing I'm a free spirit", Kate said, as she stood to begin unbuttoning her jean shorts. Dwight averted his eyes. "Wait, you're gonna swim naked?", he suddenly understood, what was happening. "How do you think, they managed to get hold of my bra in the first place, hun?". Kate jumped into the water with a splash. "Come on. Don't leave me here all by my lonesome".

Dwight quickly glanced over. Kate was sitting in the water now, so her modesty was not showing. He couldn't swim naked. Could he? What if David and Jake came back and took his clothes? But he doesn't want to let Kate down either. Is this weird? It's not weird, right? Just a couple of friends, swimming together…Without their clothes on.

Dwight was snapped from his thoughts with a splash of water to the face. "Hey!", he exclaimed. "Don't make me pull you in", Kate warned. "Come on. For once in your life, just let go". Dwight gave a cautious look around, before beginning to unknot his tie and unbutton his shirt. Kate giggled, when he pulled his shirt off revealing a white t-shirt underneath. "I knew I pegged you as the type of guy who double layers, for a reason". "I was on a camping trip before I got here. Of course, I was going to wear thermals", Dwight protested. He began to remove the rest of his clothes, stopping at his underwear. Kate eyed him impatiently, wondering what he was waiting for. He stared back for a moment before his eyes drifted to the ground. "Um…would you mind…". Kate sighed but, turned her back to give the man his privacy. She was not going to turn him into a daredevil just yet. A few moments passed, before she heard a splash in the water.

"See, doesn't this just feel heavenly?", Kate asked, moving closer to him. "It feels cold". "You'll get used to it soon enough". They were silent for a few moments. "So, are you really mad at Jake and David?", Dwight questioned. Kate considered it for a moment. "Nah. I know Jake's not the ringleader. But I am growing tired of David thinkin' he can push y'all round though". Dwight sighed, "You know he only does this stuff in front of you because, he thinks you're hot, right?" Kate shook her head. "My, that man can be as sweet as sweet tea, when he wants but…gosh. He really does think he's God's gift". Dwight chuckled, "I think the fact he and Feng slept together once solidifies that theory. In his head, at least". Kate's mouth dropped, "No way! Why do I miss out on all the gossip?" "I'm pretty sure it was before you got here". "Gosh, you'd think he'd hush his mouth about how well-endowed he is when there's someone around who could say different". "What if it's true?" "Oh sugar, please. It's the ones who keep yapping about it are the ones with nothin' to show. I'm sure he's no bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond". Dwight laughed at her statement.

"Well, enough about him". Kate said, running her hands through the water. "Tell me about your love life". "There's nothing to tell", Dwight answered, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Virgin?", Kate tilted her head at him. She really had no filter. "No, actually", Dwight said, matter-of-factly. "But that was before I got here". He shivered. "Right. Let's hop out now", Kate suggested.

Dwight gave her a moment, to get her clothes together before following her out of the water. He stared off in the other direction, before a "Darn it", attracted his attention to the blonde woman. Noticing, she still was not fully dressed, he moved his gaze back to the water, acting like he had not seen anything. "What's the matter?", he asked innocently. "My darn shirt fell in the mud", came the reply. "Oh…um…I guess you could put my shirt on if you want". He would offer anything at this stage. He just wanted out of this freezing water.

"Alright you can look now", Kate said a few moments later. Tucking the shirt into her shorts, to make it fit more snuggly. She turned her back, allowing Dwight to pull his underwear and undershirt back on, opting to leave his slacks for when he was a little dryer.

"Well, since we're staying a little longer.", Kate spoke as she gestured for them to sit at the river's edge again, "Let's continue our chat about who's shacking up with who". Dwight smiled at her, "Why do I get the feeling you're just using me for gossip?". Kate laughed. "I find it hard to believe y'all have been out here all this time and only two people have done the deed". She studied the bespectacled man's face, watching as a subtle blush began to creep onto his cheeks. "You're guilty", Kate clapped excitedly. "Who's the lucky someone?". "No one", Dwight protested, his cheeks growing more flushed. "You are a terrible liar, hun".

Dwight sighed, defeated. "Fine. But you have to promise to never tell anyone". "Cross my southern heart". Dwight was unable to meet her gaze as he spoke, "When it was just the first four of us…we didn't think anyone else was ever going to show up so…Meg and I…". His story was cut short by Kate's excited squealing. "No way…you and Meg". "It was just a handjob", Dwight blurted, suddenly extremely flustered. Kate started laughing uncontrollably. "Good Lord Dwight. You are funny", she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I gotta say. That's not the story I was expecting". "What were you expecting?" Dwight was almost afraid to ask. Kate smiled at him coyly, "Because I heard that you and Jake…". "That was a dare! Nea dared us!". Kate started laughing again, while Dwight sulked. "Oh, don't be like that, hun. At least I know who to come to when the nights get cold", she teased. "Whatever. I don't want to talk about this anymore".

Dwight stood to pull on the rest of his clothes. Kate stood with him, tugging on his arm and pouting playfully. "Come on, hun. Don't be mad at little ol' me". "I'm not mad. It's just…". "Good 'cause you ain't gettin' this back", she said, wrapping his shirt around herself and taking off through the woods. "Kate, don't. It'll just make everyone think something happened", Dwight yelled after her. "Exactly", she yelled back, laughing at the same time. Dwight shook his head, before deciding to chase the blonde. She wanted to play a game? Fine.


	6. Chapter 6- David

Nobody knew why Dwight insisted on wearing his old watch. It had never worked since he came into the Entity's realm and everyone was fairly sure, time did not exist here anyway. But still, Dwight wore it. David had often watched Dwight wind the watch and stare at it intently when everyone else was sleeping. There was nothing too special about it, David noted. Just a simple black watch, with a simple clasp that could be easily undone. That is probably how this situation happened.

David recalled back to earlier that day. Himself, Dwight, Jake and Adam were summoned into the latest trial. David smirked to himself when he heard the last generator being powered up. All he had to do now was rescue Dwight from the hook and they would be out of here. He moved towards the man, who was hanging limp, as quickly and quietly as he could. "Come 'ere, then", he whispered, as he pulled the nervous leader from the hook. "T-thank you", he whispered back. David gave him a hard but, affectionate pat on the back. "Right, let's get goin' before-". He was cut off by the sudden sound of a ringing bell, and the Wraith materialised in front of them.

"Shit. Move", David commanded, shoving Dwight through a window, in the wooden fence. Dwight let out a cry as the sudden movement caused him to lose his balance. He tripped over the ledge of the window, snagging his arm on the woodwork in the process. David quickly helped the man to his feet, avoiding the killer's weapon just in time. The pair dashed towards the nearest door, where Adam and Jake were waiting, the killer hot on their trial. David shielded Dwight from another hit, grunting as the weapon sliced his shoulder. They kept running until all four of them were back at the warmth of the campfire.

Claudette immediately stood when she saw the group come back. "Anybody hurt?", she asked, her eyes moving towards the scrapper, before adding; "Except David?". David chuckled, warmly. He could not remember the last time he had come back from a trial unscathed, and Claudette knew this. "You can take Dwight, 'ere. Your favourite patient can wait". Claudette rolled her eyes at him, despite obviously enjoying his company. She ushered them both towards the edge of the camp. The two men filled her in on the events of the trial, while she looked over Dwight's injuries. "Let me see if I have something to stop the bleeding on your arm", Claudette said, turning to rummage in her med kit. Dwight inspected his wound, before turning to look at David. He could still see the blood from his shoulder, seeping through his jacket. "Sorry I got you hit", he said quietly. "Eh, it ain't nothin'. Think you got it worse". Dwight turned to inspect his arm again, his eyes suddenly growing wide. "Shit!", he exclaimed, startling Claudette in the process. "Dwight!", she scolded him, slapping the back of his head playfully. "Sorry…My…My watch. It must have fallen off".

David watched as Dwight held his wrist close to his chest, as if his hand would drop off if he let go. "Oh, I'm sorry Dwight", Claudette consoled him, as she gently pulled his arm away from his chest and began working on it. "What's the big deal?", Nea chimed in, as she walked past. "It's not like the stupid thing worked anyway". David opted not to say anything, internally agreeing with Nea. However, he could not stop his heart from wrenching when he saw the bespectacled man's face fall at her comment.

The three remained silent until Claudette had finished healing Dwight. David watched as the leader thanked her, then quickly stood and walked towards the trees clutching his wrist. David could not help but raise an eyebrow, as he removed his jacket and moved to sit closer to Claudette. "Don't judge him too harshly. I think it reminds him of home", she said, lowering her voice to add; "I also think it was an anxiety thing". David nodded, "Yeah, I noticed". His mind drifted, as Claudette patched him up. He felt genuinely sorry for Dwight and he was going to do something about it.

He waited until he was called for another trial. As the fog began to roll in, he watched as Ace, Meg and Nea stood with him. "Anyone got anythin' to bring us a bit of luck?", David called over to them. "Besides my charming self?", Ace wiggled his eyebrows, dramatically. "Come on, mate. It's important". Ace sighed, throwing his jar of salty lips into the fire. "I hope you know what you're doing". David curtly nodded, throwing what looked like a vehicle key into the flames. "I do".

David smiled to himself as the fog cleared, and Autohaven Wreckers appeared in front of him. This is where he needed to be. This is where the last trial was. For once, he did not want to draw attention to himself. He wanted to get back to where Dwight was last hooked, hoping he would be lucky enough to come across the lost watch. He could hear faint humming as he reached his destination. He shuddered. He hated the huntress the most.

He quickly searched around the hook, peering through the grass. He looked in a nearby locker. Nothing. "Fuck it", he kicked the wooden wall, angrily, not wanting to accept his defeat. He began to stomp of, when he heard it. The shattering of glass under his foot. He raised his head towards the sky as if daring the Entity to test him further. He looked under his boot, to see Dwight's prized possession. "For fuck's sake", David mumbled, scooping it up and watching as the shards of glass spilled onto the ground. He had completely smashed it. He aggressively shoved the watch into his pocket and went to look for the others. This whole thing had been a waste of time.

The group managed to escape with minor injuries and were soon back at camp. David could hardly look at Dwight. How could he give the watch back after he had ruined it? David sat alone, contemplating his options. He pulled the watch out of his pocket and turned it over in his hands, inspecting it. It was fine for the most part. Just a little dirty and was now missing the glass. He scratched his head aggressively, wondering if he could fix it.

David stalked over to Jake, who was dozing nearby. "Oi", David woke him, kicking him lightly in the foot. Jake opened one eye, obviously annoyed. "What?". "Where's all that shit you've been scavengin'?". Jake was known to scavenge supplies and random junk from trials, something the group greatly appreciated, when they needed some spare scrap for their toolboxes. Jake tilted his head towards a nearby log. "In that box, over there. Knock yourself out".

David sifted through the crate. He was not exactly sure what he was looking for. There was all sorts of junk in here. He stopped when he came across a small torch, comparing the size of the flashlight to the size of the watch's face. "This might fuckin' work", he thought to himself, grinning.

David returned to his sitting spot and opened his tool box. He carefully began to dissect the flashlight, trying to act as quickly as possible before he could be scolded for wasting useful supplies. He removed the lens and began to line it up with the watch's face. It was just about a perfect fit. David smirked to himself. It was about time he had some luck, in this place. He worked for a couple of minutes, using his tools and some glue to secure the lens as best as he could. He used his jacket to wipe away the dirt that had invaded the watch's strap, then took a moment to admire his handiwork. It was not perfect but, David was still impressed with himself.

He scanned the campsite for Dwight, spotting him hunched over on a log. David bashfully made his way over to him, suddenly worried that he might reject his work. He shook the feeling off, scolding himself. "This ain't nothin'", he told himself. "If he don't like it, fuck him".

He quietly sat down next to the leader, trying to ignore the nerves that were building in his stomach. He cleared his throat, "You…alright?". Dwight nodded, wringing his hands together. "How was the trial?". "It was nothin'", the scrapper told him. Dwight simply accepted this response. He had stopped caring how the trials were going, if he honest but, it was polite to ask. A silence fell between them before David attempted to speak up again. "I…uh…here", he thrusted the watch into Dwight's hands, watching the man's eye light up as he did so. "You…You found it!", he exclaimed. "How?". David looked at his feet, suddenly embarrassed. "I, ah, just came across it, y'know? It was pretty fucked though. Some, ah…The killer must 'ave walked on it or somethin'". Dwight inspected the watch, confused. "It looks fine to me". "Ah, well, I fucked up the glue a bit". Dwight glanced at David, then back at the watch, his face blushing slightly. "Y-you…fixed it? For me?". David looked away, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "It was…was nothin'".

David turned back to face the leader, just in time to be swept up in a tight hug. "Thank you, David. I can't even begin to tell you what this means". David patted Dwight's back, smirking slightly. "Like I said…'tis nothin'". He watched as Dwight secured the watch to his wrist, admiring it.

"Why's it so important?", David could not help himself from asking. "Oh. It just…helps. I can...I'll set it to an hour time, like 4pm I'll breath in. And then I can, um, w-wind it to the next hour and that's when I, uh…b-breath out again". Dwight attempted to explain, stumbling over his words, embarrassed. "I know everyone thinks it's dumb but I…". He trailed off, looking to the floor. David reached over and grabbed the leader's shoulder, affectionately. "Nah, I think it's smart. If it helps, then fuck what they think". Dwight blushed, surprised by the scrapper's gentle tone.

Dwight ran his fingers over watch's face, David watching him do so. "Sorry it ain't the same". Dwight simply shook his head, "I like it. It's got a rugged charm to it". "Like me?", David teased shoving him, playfully. Dwight covered his mouth, "Oh, I didn't mean…". "I know, mate". Dwight smiled, meeting David's eyes. "Really…Thank you". David nodded, "Any time".


	7. Chapter 7- Jake

"Where are we going, Jake?", Dwight asked as he followed his friend through the woods. "I found something", came the response. Dwight rubbed his hands together, trying to get the warmth back into them. "You're starting to scare me", he said quietly. "Stop it...We're almost there". The pair continued through the woods in silence. Dwight eyed Jake intently, envying the man's jacket. He wished he was more appropriately dressed, as he shivered inside his bloodstained shirt.

Jake lead him into a small clearing in the trees. Dwight followed and obeyed when Jake told him to sit. "Don't be too loud or make any sudden movements", Jake ordered, as he slowly approached a nearby tree stump. "Wha-" "Shhhh". Dwight watched as Jake slowly reached behind the stump and lifted a small crate into his arms, both curiosity and fear forming inside him. Jake made his way back to his friend, placing the crate in front of Dwight so he could look inside.

A crow.

"Jake...It's a crow". "I know it's a crow, Dwight". "Why?". Jake reached into the crate and gently lifted the crow into his arms, with little objection from the creature. He always had a way with animals. "Look", he nodded towards the crate. Dwight peered into the crate, his eyes growing wide when he saw the tiny blue eggs inside. "Oh! Aw, look at them", Dwight exclaimed, before remembering where he was. "Wait...the Entity allows crows to have babies? I always thought it kinda just...made them". "I thought that too", Jake responded. He gently rubbed his thumb along the crows head. "But I guess it shows, they're still just animals". "It's so weird", Dwight moved to pick up one of the eggs, only to be stopped by an angry caw from the bird. "Hey, take it easy, Jezebel", Jake said, soothingly rubbing the crow's head again. "You named the crow?", Dwight asked, raising an eyebrow. This whole situation was ridiculous.

Jake sighed and placed the crow back with her eggs. "Look, the reason I took you out here is because she's hurt. I found her trying to fly into one of the trees but, I think her wing is bothering her. I noticed the nest on the branch so I...I couldn't just leave them there". "What does this have to do with me?", Dwight asked, eyeing the bird suspiciously. The crow cawed aggressively at him again, making him jump. "I...I want to take care of them", Jake began to explain. "It's a long walk out here and I...I thought I should bring them back to camp". "No way", Dwight said, firmly. "None of the others will agree to it". "That's why I bought you out here!", Jake protested. "I need someone to have my back against the others". "No". "Please, Dwight". "No way", Dwight shook his head, to emphasise his point. "Anyway, that thing hates me". "She doesn't hate you! They need our help", Jake pleaded. "Jake you are not bringing that crow back to camp. That's final".

Dwight made the trek back to the campfire in a huff. He could not continue to argue with Jake's sad eyes, and reluctantly agreed to bring the bird and her eggs back to camp. Jake whistled happily, as he carried the crate. Dwight eyed the bird, who eyed him back, cawing along with Jake's tune, as if it was mocking him.

They were met with mixed reactions from their companion. "What the fuck is that?", David scoffed, as the survivors gathered around to meet the new addition to their group. "Oh it's kinda cute", Meg cooed. "Kate, come look". Claudette sighed, "As long as it doesn't hurt anybody". "I can't believe you let him bring that thing here", Feng seethed at Dwight. "Those things are evil". Dwight threw his hands up, exasperated, and stomped away. He hated the stupid crow. Feng was right. They worked for the Entity, and he brought one here to spy on them.

Some time passed. Dwight guessed it was a couple of days but, there was really no way to tell in the Entity's realm. Jake, Meg, David and Feng were currently on a trial. He and Claudette took the opportunity to doze lazily by the fire. The sound of loud rustling disturbed him. He sat up in a panic, quickly realising the sound was coming from the crow's crate. Although he hated the bird, he knew Jake would be heartbroken if anything bad happened to it. He reluctantly approached the box, peering inside. The crow was sitting uncharacteristically still, and looked a little flat. Was it dead? "H-hello?", Dwight slowly lowered his hand into the crate, poking the bird. The crow immediately reacted, cawing, pecking and scraping his hand aggressively. "Ahhhhhh", Dwight yelped in pain, startling Claudette awake. "Dwight?! What are you doing?", Claudette rushed towards him, just as the others returned from their trial. "That thing tried to kill me", he pointed accusingly at the bird, with his now bloodied hand.

"What's going on over here?", Jake asked, followed by Meg, David and Feng. "Your crow attacked Dwight", Claudette explained. She was already in the process of bandaging his hand. "Told ya they were evil", Feng shrugged. "She's not evil, Dwight must have scared her", Jake protested, kneeling down next to the crate. "I did not! I thought it was dead. I was checking to it if she was ok", Dwight retaliated.

Kate joined Jake by the crate, gasping as he lifted the bird into his hands to reveal a group of tiny birds. "Oh look, the darlin's had babies. Aren't they sweet?". Dwight watched in disgust as the group gathered around to coo at the newly born chicks. "Oh Feng, not you too", he pleaded, as the smaller girl approached to look at the birds. "Hey, they might be evil but even I can't resist a tiny animal".

The birds seemed to grow older with every trial that passed. Dwight collapsed onto a log, exhausted after his last trial. Jake approached him and silently sat next to them. He watched as Dwight rubbed his eyes under his thick rimmed glasses. "Tired?", he asked. Dwight simply nodded, "It was a tough trial". "I know what will make you feel better", Jake said, as he stood. He gently picked the crate up and brought it towards Dwight. "Jake, I don't wanna hear anymore about those stupid crows", he sighed. "No look", Jake removed the mother crow from the box, revealing the now larger chicks, who cheeped merrily. "They're getting feathers", Jake smiled, as he passed one of the chicks to Dwight. Dwight watched as the small bird nuzzled against his fingers, completely content.

Jake scooped up the remaining chicks, and placed them on the ground. They hopped around and pecked at the ground, excited by the rustling of the leaves that lay there. The chick Dwight held cheeped merrily, attracting the attention of it's siblings who rushed towards it. Jake chuckled, as he friend was overrun by tiny birds. "I think they like you". "Well...I guess they are kind of cute". Dwight's expression suddenly changed to one of horror as the birds began to scatter. "Jake do something! They're going everywhere...They're gonna get hurt!". "I thought you hated crows", Jake said smugly as he began to gather the chicks, returning them to their crate.

More trials went by, with each the birds got older. Dwight would take the opportunity to pet and play with them, after each trial, much to Jake's delight. Dwight took a liking to one bird in particular, the smallest of the bunch who was more brown than black. Dwight was not sure if it was male or female, so opted to name it "Pepper".

Dwight was placing Pepper back in the crate with it's mother and siblings, when Jake approached him. "Turning in for the night?", he questioned, as he watched Dwight give the bird one last scratch. "Not yet", Dwight replied. He noticed the somber look on his friend's face. "Hey what's the matter?". Jake sighed. "I think...I think we should start thinking about returning the birds to where we found them". "W-what? But they just got here". "They've been here for a long time, Dwight. I'm afraid if they stay any longer they'll never be able to live on their own". Dwight's eyes drifted towards the crate. "But...What about Pepper?". Jake rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "I know it's hard, Dwight but, they'll have to go too. It's for their own good" "But you said you wanted to take care of them!", Dwight protested, trying to hide the crack in his voice. "Dwight…They've had time. Jezebel can almost fly properly again". "No! They're not going anywhere!".

Dwight huffed as Jake lead him back towards the clearing. He carried the crate close to his chest, watching the crows as they sat quietly inside. Jake took the crate from Dwight when they reached their destination. He gently lifted each bird and placed them on the ground, allowing them to roam around and explore. The birds suddenly took off together, flying towards the tree branches. The flap of their wings made Dwight jump, while Jake looked on, delighted. He turned to face Dwight, who was now sniffling. Jake chuckled, "Are you crying?". "No!", Dwight quickly wiped at his eyes. "Come here", he said fondly, pulling his friend into a tight hug. "We can always come back to check on them". Dwight continued to sniffle into Jake's shoulder. "I thought you hated crows". Dwight pulled away, wiping his eyes. "I hate you for making me like crows". Jake chuckled, putting his arm around the leader's shoulders, "Let's head back". Dwight looked back as the group of crows cawed after them, then shook his head smiling. "See you soon", he thought, following his friend back into the trees.


	8. Chapter 8- Feng

Dwight rubbed his forehead as he hauled himself back towards the campfire. It always took him a while to get his head straight after facing the Doctor. The physical demands of the trial were enough, without the mental drain that came along with the Doctor's presence.

He eyed the space around the campfire suspiciously, paranoid, as his brain still tingled. Out of the corner of his eye, something suddenly caught his attention. A small figure shaking and writhing against the ground. It took him several moments to free his mind from the fog that clouded it, and realise what was happening.

Feng.

Dwight moved as quickly as he could, dropping to his knees when he reached the younger woman. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead and her cheeks were stained with tears.

"Feng?! Feng, wake up!", he pleaded. No response. Feeling he was out of options, he grabbed the girl's shoulders and aggressively shook, calling her name again.

Feng's dark eyes shot open, filled with hate and disgust. "Get the hell away from me!", she seethed at Dwight, pushing him so hard he lost his balance.

Dwight eyed her in confusion, his gaze falling on her arms which were red, scratched and bleeding. He assumed it was from her aggressive behaviour whilst she was asleep. "You're hurt", he said, getting to his feet. "Can I see?". He reached a hand towards her, only for it to be swatted away.

"Don't you dare touch me", Feng spat, before turning on her heal and stalking off towards the woods. Dwight watched her leave, stunned. What did he do wrong?

Dwight turned a corner, chest heaving. He strained his ears for any signs of danger. He felt as though the Entity was trying to force them all to madness, as every trial seemed to be against the Doctor. He let out a shaky breath and tried to steady his quivering hands. He began to move again, until he heard the sound of the exit gates being powered. He quickly made his way across the hospital towards the exit.

"There you are", Meg breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her friend approach. "Things will go a little faster now you're here", she tilted her head towards Nea who was busy opening the door.

Dwight looked around him. "Where's Feng?".

"Probably long gone", Nea muttered, just as she got the exit open. As if on cue, a loud scream could echoed through the building.

"Well I guess we found her", Nea said, reaching for Meg's hand. "Let's go then".

"We can't just leave her here!", Dwight protested.

"Maybe you can't but, we sure can", Nea mocked, dragging Meg out the gate.

Dwight stood alone, outside the hospital. He let out an audible sigh before dashing back into the hospital.

Dwight was not the bravest of the bunch but, he was smart. Dwight ran as loudly as he could down the corridor, vaulting a few windows on the way for added effect. When he reached the other exit he pulled the handle hoping he had made enough noise to draw the killer's attention. He quickly hid and waited for his moment to strike. While the Doctor was distracted looking for him, Dwight quietly snuck back down the hall.

Dwight watched Feng carefully as he approached her hook. She looked defeated, her typical fire and determination to win gone. She lifted her head slightly, to see who was approaching her. Dwight wordlessly lifted her away from the hook and led her towards the open gate and back to the campfire.

Later that evening Dwight found himself watching David and Ace play cards. He chuckled warmly as Ace took another prize from the scrapper. "Didn't take a King for a loser", Ace smirked. David was about to respond but was interrupted by Feng, seeming more timid than usual.

"Hey Dwight, can I talk to you?", she asked, not taking her eyes off her shoes.

"Oh...Yeah, sure", he stammered getting to his feet.

Feng led him away from David and Ace who were watching them and making kissy faces, as the smaller girl beckoned him to follow her into the trees.

They found some logs to sit on and an awkward silence fell over them. It seemed to last forever before Feng decided to speak. "Why did you come back for me?".

Dwight laughed dryly. "Was I meant to just leave you behind?".

Feng scuffed her shoe in the ground. "We were never exactly friends and I've been a bitch to you lately".

Dwight just shrugged.

Another awkward silence fell over them.

Dwight cleared his throat. "Why did you give up?".

Feng ran her hands through her fringe, making it stick up a little. She was quiet for a long time.

"I...I have dreams about that...that damn motherfucker", she spat.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because", she hang her head. "I didn't wanna seem...weak".

Dwight began to speak but Feng was already ahead of him. "I was a champion back home. I on the top of my game. I was respected. People liked me even though I was a bitch sometimes. And now I'm here and I've got these bastards trying to murder me everyday. The other girls look down on me. The guys hate me. I-".

Dwight but a cautious hand on her shoulder. "Nobody here hates you. You're tough and you're brave but I feel like you make it difficult for us to get to know you".

Feng met his eye for the first time.

"So you're saying everyone's scared of me?".

"I didn't say that. Are you saying they shouldn't be?".

Feng smirked. "No". They both laughed.

"I wish you'd let the group get to know you", Dwight sighed.

"I guess...Maybe I could try".

"Good because I think Ace needs some new competition". Dwight hopped to his feet and Feng followed him, laughing.

"Alright, let me show you how we win around here".


	9. Chapter 9- Adam

Adam stubbled back into camp, slightly delirious. He had just faced the Huntress and had taken a significant blow to the head from one of her hatchets. Camp appeared to empty, which Adam considered to be a blessing. He enjoyed his fellow survivors for the most part, however, being a natural introvert he cherished these moments of silence. He settled himself against a log, allowing himself a moment for his pain to wash over him.

His moment of solace was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. He opened one eye to see Dwight standing over him. "I hope I'm not interrupting".

Adam closed his eyes again, simply shaking his head in response. He was interrupting but Adam was not the type to tell him so. He could sense Dwight watching him. Adam sighed, audibly enough to make Dwight wrap his arms around himself protectively. "Is there something I can help you with, Dwight?"."

N-no. I just noticed you're bleeding. A lot."

"Yeah", Adam tentatively touched the gash on his forehead. "I'm sure Claudette will have something".

Dwight rubbed at the back of his neck. "She just left for a trial. She could be a while".

"Ah".

Dwight did not know why Adam made him so nervous. He seemed so proper and capable of holding himself together. Not like him. Adam had been part of the group for what seemed like a few weeks. Most of their interaction occurred in trials. In truth, Dwight was intimidated by him. Someone like Adam would surely make a better leader for them group than him.

Adam, on the other hand, enjoyed the more chatty members of the group. Although, he liked his peace and quiet, he preferred to have conversations started for him. A rare occurrence with Dwight, he noticed.

A moment of silence passed over them. "I could take a look at it if you want", Dwight eventually spoke up. Adam considered his options for a moment. He could let a practical stranger into his space, or maybe bleed to death. If that was even possible here. Adam decided he did not want to take the risk and nodded for Dwight to go get whatever supplies he needed.

Adam's mind began to wander as Dwight tended to his wound. He felt guilty that he was not able to save Feng during the trial. He would have to apologise as soon as she-

"AHHHH WHAT THE FUU...Fudge is that?", Adam yelped, as Dwight dabbed at the blood on his forehead. A small smile crept onto Dwight's face, amused by the other man's unwillingness to swear. His time teaching had taught him better.

"Sorry, I should have warned you". Adam grunted in response, moving to adjust his sitting position,"It's not the worst I've had in here".

"How are you finding it?", Dwight asked, a blush spreading to his cheeks when he realised how stupid he sounded.

"I was a teacher. These killers may be cruel but have you ever tried to keep a group of teenagers under control?".

Dwight chuckled, "Have you tried trying to reason with a group of teenagers who don't wanna pay for their food?".

"Huh?"

"Pizza delivery".

"Oh".

Dwight looked away momentarily, sorting through his supplies, "Yeah it's a big step down from teaching. Your parents must have been proud".

"My dad died when I was two. I was raised by my uncle".

Dwight cringed. No wonder this guy did not like him. "I-I'm sorry...I didn't…".

Adam waved his apology away. "I've made my peace with it. My uncle was a good man. I doubt I would have cared about education if it wasn't for him".

Adam eyed Dwight carefully for a moment, watching as he continued to paw through his med kit, making little progress.

"What were your parents like?", Adam asked, suddenly curious about the life path that could lead someone to a life of nervousness.

"My dad was a drink", Dwight responded, not taking his eyes off his supplies.

Adam nodded solemnly. "Sorry to hear that".

Dwight shrugged. They were silent for a moment.

"I guess you must be pretty smart then", Dwight said, cooly, as he began to apply an ointment to Adam's wound.

"I guess".

"Where did you go to university?".

"Kingston".

"Never heard of it".

"Where did you go?".

"I didn't".

Adam studied him for moment. "Is your past a touchy subject for you?", he spoke before he could stop himself.

Dwight opened his mouth to speak but, nothing came out. He was silent for a long time, as if trying to choose his words, before shaking his head and hastily getting to his feet.

"Sorry, did I offended you?", Adam called after him, also choosing to stand. He taken aback when Dwight suddenly burst into tears. "Oh...Um...Are you ok?". Adam did not know what to do. His uncle was always firm with him, he had no clue how to deal with people's emotions. He quickly placed a hand on Dwight's shoulder, petting him awkwardly, before quickly pulling it back. "Sorry that was...weird".

Dwight opted to move back to the log, they originally sat at. Adam moved to sit with him. "I hate it here", Dwight choked through his tears. "I hate it so much. We go through all this bullshit over and over again and for what?".

"I know", Adam said solemnly.

"I wish I got to do more", Dwight wiped at his eyes. "Before all this, I mean. I wish I wasn't such a...loser".

"You're doing pretty well in here, for someone whose a loser", Adam soothed, his features softening. He suddenly really felt for Dwight. Sure he was a nervous wreck but, always made sure everyone else was coping.

Dwight stayed quiet, twiddling his thumbs.

"You're the only one who can stop David from yelling at everyone. Who can keep Claudette calm when we start to run out of supplies. You keep us going", Adam placed a hand on Dwight's back, more comforting this time.

"How do you know what I do? You barely ever speak to me", Dwight said, through timed breaths.

"Just because I'm quiet doesn't mean I don't notice things. I think you'd know that better than anyone".

Dwight sniffled, "T-thanks Adam. I um, really appreciate that".

Adam smiled at him, "No problem. However, there's one thing I don't appreciate".

Dwight looked up at him, concerned. "What is it?".

"I'm still bleeding", Adam pointed to his forehead.

Dwight laughed, pulling himself together. "Right, let me get back to work".


End file.
